intertropolisandroutevillefandomcom-20200213-history
U.S. Route 12 in Washington
U.S. Route 12 or U.S. Highway 12 (US 12) is a major east-west U.S. Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. It spans 430.80 miles (693.31 km) across the state of Washington, and is the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean, and crossing the Idaho state line near Clarkston. It crosses the Cascade Range over White Pass, south of Mount Rainier National Park. Portions of it are concurrent with Interstate 5 (I-5) and Interstate 82 (I-82), although the majority of the route does not parallel any Interstate Highway. Although US 12 was not extended into Washington until 1967, portions of it have been part of Washington's state highway system since as early as 1905. The last part of the highway to open was over White Pass in 1951, although it was added to the state highway system by the legislature in 1931. Most of the route (except for the approximately 160 miles (260 km) between Elma and Naches) had been part of the U.S. Highway System since its inception in 1926 as part of U.S. Route 410. The portion between Napavine and Grand Mound was also designated a U.S. Highway in 1926 as part of U.S. Route 99. Route description U.S. Route 12 begins in Aberdeen on a pair of one-way streets, Heron Street eastbound and Wishkah Street westbound. At its western terminus, US 12 intersects US 101, which goes west along Heron and Wishkah, and south across Grays Harbor to the south side of Aberdeen. The eastbound and westbound lanes of US 12 merge just east of the Wishkah River, near the Grays Harbor Historic Seaport. US 12 then leaves Aberdeen to the east along the Chehalis River, where it passes through the towns of Central Park and Montesano. Between Aberdeen and Elma, US 12 is four lanes wide. The majority of the highway in Washington, however, is a rural two-lane road. In the town of Elma, US 12 exits the highway at a diamond interchange. From there, the main highway continues east to Olympia as State Route 8 (WA 8), and US 12 heads southeast towards Oakville and Rochester. East of Oakville, US 12 runs north of the Chehalis Indian Reservation. It then continues east through the town of Rochester, and interchanges with I-5 at exit 88 in the town of Grand Mound. US 12 continues south concurrent with I-5 through Chehalis and Centralia before exiting again at exit 68 south of Napavine. The highway then heads east along the Cowlitz River and passes through the town of Mossyrock, where it intersects WA 122. East of Mossyrock, US 12 runs just north of Mossyrock Dam and Riffe Lake. In the town of Morton, it intersects WA 7, which heads north to Tacoma. It then ascends the Cascade Range, passing south of Mount Rainier, and intersects WA 123, which serves the Stevens Canyon entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. Twelve (12) miles (19 km) east of this intersection, US 12 crosses the Cascades over White Pass at an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,372 m). White Pass is the only crossing of the Cascades open year-round between I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass and WA 14 through the Columbia River Gorge. After it descends the mountains, US 12 intersects WA 410 (formerly US 410) west of Naches, which serves Chinook Pass, Cayuse Pass, and the White River entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. East of Naches, US 12 widens once again to four lanes as it approaches the city of Yakima. There, it has an interchange with I-82 and US 97 at exit 31. US 12 then runs concurrently with I-82, bypassing the towns of Toppenish and Prosser and paralleling the Yakima River, until exit 102 near the Tri-Cities. At exit 102, it meets the western terminus of Interstate 182. US 12 and I-182 then run concurrently east over Goose Gap and through the Tri-Cities. In Pasco, I-182 ends, and US 12 intersects US 395. US 12 then heads south to the town of Wallula, intersecting US 730, then east to Walla Walla, north to Dodge, and east to Clarkston before crossing the Idaho state line over the Snake River just outside Lewiston, Idaho. US 12 through Walla Walla consists of a four-lane bypass, also known as Inland Empire Highway. The alignment of US 12 through Walla Walla County passes by a number of historical landmarks, such as Whitman Mission and Fort Walla Walla. History Major intersections See also * Interstate 5 in Washington * Interstate 82 * Interstate 90 in Washington * Interstate 98 in Washington * U.S. Route 2 in Washington * U.S. Route 97 in Washington * U.S. Route 99 in Washington * U.S. Route 101 in Washington * U.S. Route 395 in Washington * U.S. Route 410 Category:U.S. Route 12 Category:United States Numbered Highways Category:Highways and roads Category:U.S. Highways in Washington Category:Highways numbered 12